Method and apparatus for maskless photolithography
First Claim
1. A system for maskless photolithography, comprising:
- a. a computer system for generating mask patterns and alignment instructions;
b. an array of positionable micromirrors, operably connected to and controllable by said computer system, wherein said micromirrors reflect light according to said mask patterns provided by said computer system;
c. an optical system for generating, collimating, and directing a light beam to said micromirror array;
d. an optical system for further collimating the light beam reflected from said mirrors and directing the light beam onto a substrate;
e. an alignment fixture for mounting the substrate, wherein said alignment fixture is movable in coplanar first and second dimensions, and in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to said first and second coplanar dimensions and substantially parallel to the light beam reflected from said micromirrors;
said fixture providing three dimensional alignment of a substrate beneath the light beam, wherein said alignment fixture is moved in three dimensions in response to mechanical alignments directly provided by a user;
f. a means for controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions, such that controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions controls the position of the substrate in the first, second, and third dimensions;
g. a computer controlled pattern alignment system, for providing electrical alignment of said patterns in coplanar first and second dimensions, wherein said pattern alignment system adjusts the alignment of said mask patterns in coplanar first and second dimensions by altering the positioning of said micromirrors in response to instructions provided by said computer according to said alignment information, so that said pattern is shifted in at least one coplanar direction;
h. an optical viewer to allow optical monitoring of positioning of the substrate mounted in said alignment fixture by visually verifying that an image projected on the substrate is properly aligned; and
i. an optical filter, removably mounted in the light beam to selectively filter light impinging on the substrate to prevent exposure of the substrate during an alignment procedure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus to create two dimensional and three dimensional structures using a maskless photolithography system that is semi-automated, directly reconfigurable, and does not require masks, templates or stencils to create each of the planes or layers on a multi layer two-dimensional or three dimensional structure. In an embodiment, the pattern generator comprises a micromirror array wherein the positioning of the mirrors in the micromirror array and the time duration of exposure can be modulated to produce gray scale patterns to photoform layers of continuously variable thickness. The desired pattern can be designed and stored using conventional computer aided drawing techniques and can be used to control the positioning of the individual mirrors in the micromirror array to reflect the corresponding desired pattern. A fixture for mounting of the substrate can be incorporated and can allow the substrate to be moved three dimensions. The fixture can be rotated in one, two, or three directions.
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Citations
90 Claims
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1. A system for maskless photolithography, comprising:
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a. a computer system for generating mask patterns and alignment instructions; b. an array of positionable micromirrors, operably connected to and controllable by said computer system, wherein said micromirrors reflect light according to said mask patterns provided by said computer system; c. an optical system for generating, collimating, and directing a light beam to said micromirror array; d. an optical system for further collimating the light beam reflected from said mirrors and directing the light beam onto a substrate; e. an alignment fixture for mounting the substrate, wherein said alignment fixture is movable in coplanar first and second dimensions, and in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to said first and second coplanar dimensions and substantially parallel to the light beam reflected from said micromirrors;
said fixture providing three dimensional alignment of a substrate beneath the light beam, wherein said alignment fixture is moved in three dimensions in response to mechanical alignments directly provided by a user;f. a means for controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions, such that controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions controls the position of the substrate in the first, second, and third dimensions; g. a computer controlled pattern alignment system, for providing electrical alignment of said patterns in coplanar first and second dimensions, wherein said pattern alignment system adjusts the alignment of said mask patterns in coplanar first and second dimensions by altering the positioning of said micromirrors in response to instructions provided by said computer according to said alignment information, so that said pattern is shifted in at least one coplanar direction; h. an optical viewer to allow optical monitoring of positioning of the substrate mounted in said alignment fixture by visually verifying that an image projected on the substrate is properly aligned; and i. an optical filter, removably mounted in the light beam to selectively filter light impinging on the substrate to prevent exposure of the substrate during an alignment procedure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for maskless photolithography, comprising:
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a. receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on a substrate; b. generating mask patterns based on received mask pattern information; c. providing said mask patterns to an array of positionable micromirrors, operably connected to and controllable by a computer system; d. generating, collimating, and directing a light beam to said micromirror array; e. providing selective filtering of the light beam impinging on the substrate to prevent exposure of the substrate during an alignment procedure; f. positioning said micromirrors to reflect the light beam from said micromirror array according to said mask patterns provided by said computer system; g. collimating the light beam reflected from said micromirror array and directing the light beam onto a substrate; h. aligning the substrate under the light beam by moving the substrate in three dimensions, wherein the substrate is moved in coplanar first and second dimensions, and moved in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to said first and second coplanar dimensions, and substantially parallel to the light beam reflected from said micromirror array, wherein aligning the substrate comprises aligning the substrate via a means for controlling the position of an alignment fixture in which the substrate is mounted, i. allowing optical monitoring of positioning of the substrate under the light beam to visually verify that an image projected on the substrate is properly aligned; j. receiving alignment information corresponding to alignment of a desired mask pattern projected onto a substrate; k. generating alignment instructions based on received alignment information; l. providing alignment instructions, based on said alignment information, to said micromirror array to further align said mask patterns in the coplanar first and second dimensions; m. adjusting said micromirror array according to said alignment instructions by shifting the mask pattern in at least one of the coplanar first and second dimensions; n. disabling filtering of the light beam; o. exposing the substrate; and p. repeating steps (a-o) to create a desired pattern on the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for maskless photolithography, comprising:
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a. providing a computer system for generating mask patterns and alignment instructions, wherein said system provides mask patterns to a micromirror array and provides instructions to align patterns in coplanar first and second dimensions, by altering the position of said micromirrors in response to instructions provided by said computer according to alignment information so that the pattern is translated in at least one coplanar direction; b. providing an array of positionable micromirrors, operably connected to and controllable by said computer system;
wherein said micromirrors reflect light according to said mask patterns provided by said computer system;c. providing an optical system for generating, collimating, and directing a light beam to said array of micromirrors; d. providing an optical system for further collimating the light beam reflected from said mirrors and directing the light beam onto a substrate; e. providing an alignment fixture for mounting the substrate, wherein said alignment fixture is movable in coplanar first and second dimensions, and in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to said first and second coplanar dimensions and substantially parallel to the light beam reflected from said micromirrors;
said fixture providing three dimensional alignment of the substrate beneath the light beam, wherein the alignment fixture comprises a means for controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions; andf. providing an optical viewer to allow optical monitoring of positioning of a substrate mounted in said alignment fixture by visually verifying that an image projected on the substrate is properly aligned. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer system for maskless photolithography, comprising:
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a. a computing device comprising a display, a central processing unit (CPU), operating system software, memory for storing data, a user interface, and input/output capability for reading and writing data;
said computing device operably connected to and operating in conjunction with a maskless photolithography system;b. computer program code for; 1) receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on a substrate; 2) generating mask patterns based on received mask pattern information; 3) providing said mask patterns to an array of positionable micromirrors, operably connected to and controllable by said computer system; 4) receiving alignment information corresponding to alignment of a desired mask pattern projected onto a substrate; 5) generating alignment instructions based on received alignment information; 6) providing alignment instructions to a means for positioning an alignment fixture in which the substrate is mounted; 7) providing alignment instructions, based on said alignment information, to said micromirror array to further align said mask patterns in the coplanar first and second dimensions; 8) adjusting the micromirror array according to said alignment instructions by shifting the mask pattern in at least one of the coplanar first and second dimensions; and 9) repeating steps (1-8) to create a desired pattern on a substrate being fabricated in a maskless photolithography system; wherein said computing device operates in conjunction with said maskless photolithography system and executes said computer code to control said micromirror array according to said received pattern information and alignment information. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for a maskless photolithography system, comprising:
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a. computer readable medium for receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on a substrate; b. computer readable medium for generating mask patterns based on received mask pattern information; c. computer readable medium for providing said mask patterns to an array of positionable micromirrors, operably connected to and controllable by said computer system; d. computer readable medium for receiving alignment information corresponding to alignment of a desired mask pattern projected onto the substrate; e. computer readable medium for generating alignment instructions based on received alignment information; f. computer readable medium for generating alignment instructions based on received alignment information to a means for positioning an alignment fixture in which the substrate is mounted; g. computer readable medium for providing alignment instructions, based on said alignment information, to said micromirror array to further align said mask patterns in the coplanar first and second dimensions; h. computer readable medium for adjusting the micromirror array according to said alignment instructions by shifting the mask pattern in at least one of the coplanar first and second dimensions; and i. computer readable medium for repeating steps (a-h) to create a desired pattern on the substrate being fabricated in a maskless photolithography system; wherein said computer program product provides instructions for a computer system operating in conjunction with said maskless photolithography system to control said micromirror array according to said received pattern information and alignment information. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A system for maskless photolithography, comprising:
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an alignment fixture for mounting a substrate, wherein said alignment fixture allows alignment of the substrate in coplanar first and second dimensions, and in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second coplanar dimensions; an array of micromirrors; a means for directing light onto the array of micromirrors, wherein light incident on each micromirror of the array of micromirrors can be reflected by the each micromirror so as to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture when the each micromirror is at or near a first position and can be reflected by the each micromirror so as to not be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture when the each micromirror is not at or near the first position; a means for controlling the position of each micromirror of said array of micromirrors individually such that each micromirror is individually positioned to either reflect the light incident on the each micromirror so as to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture or reflect the light incident on the each micromirror so as not to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture, wherein some, all, or none of the light incident on the array of micromirrors is reflected onto the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture according to a desired mask pattern; a means for controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions, such that controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions controls the position of the substrate in the first, second, and third dimensions. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method for maskless photolithography, comprising:
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mounting a substrate onto an alignment fixture, wherein said alignment fixture allows alignment of the substrate in coplanar first and second dimensions, and in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second coplanar dimensions, wherein the alignment fixture comprises a means for controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions, such that controlling the position of the alignment fixture is the first, second, and third dimensions controls the position of the substrate in the first, second, and third dimensions directing light onto an array of micromirrors, wherein light incident on each micromirror of the array of micromirrors can be reflected by the each micromirror so as to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture when the each micromirror is at or near a first position and can be reflected by the each micromirror so as to not be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture when the each micromirror is not at or near the first position; controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions so as to control the position of the substrate in the first, second, and third dimensions; controlling the position of each micromirror of said array of micromirrors individually such that each micromirror is individually positioned to either reflect the light incident on the each micromirror so as to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture or reflect the light incident on the each micromirror so as not to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture, wherein some, all, or none of the light incident on the array of micromirrors is reflected onto the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture according to a desired mask pattern. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A system for maskless photolithography, comprising:
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an alignment fixture for mounting a substrate, wherein said alignment fixture allows alignment of the substrate in coplanar first and second dimensions, and in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second coplanar dimensions; an array of micromirrors; a means for directing light onto the array of micromirrors, wherein light incident on each micromirror of the array of micromirrors can be reflected by the each micromirror so as to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture when the each micromirror is at or near a first position and can be reflected by the each micromirror so as to not be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture when the each micromirror is not at or near the first position; a means for controlling the position of each micromirror of said array of micromirrors individually such that each micromirror is individually positioned to either reflect the light incident on the each micromirror so as to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture or reflect the light incident on the each micromirror so as not to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture, wherein some, all, or none of the light incident on the array of micromirrors is reflected onto the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture according to a desired mask pattern, wherein the means for controlling the position of each micromirror of the array of micromirrors dynamically varies the position of one or more of the micromirrors of the array of micromirrors such that pixelation and stiction are reduced. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A method for maskless photolithography, comprising:
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mounting a substrate onto an alignment fixture, wherein the alignment fixture comprises a means for controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions, such that controlling the position of the alignment fixture in the first, second, and third dimensions controls the position of the substrate in the first, second, and third dimensions; directing light onto an array of micromirrors, wherein light incident on each micromirror of the array of micromirrors can be reflected by the each micromirror so as to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture when the each micromirror is at or near a first position and can be reflected by the each micromirror so as to not be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture when the each micromirror is not at or near the first position; controlling the position of each micromirror of said array of micromirrors individually such that each micromirror is individually positioned to either reflect the light incident on the each micromirror so as to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture or reflect the light incident on the each micromirror so as not to be incident on the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture, wherein some, all, or none of the light incident on the array of micromirrors is reflected onto the substrate mounted in the alignment fixture according to a desired mask pattern; wherein controlling the position of each micromirror of the array of micromirrors comprises dynamically varying the position of one or more of the micromirrors of the array of micromirrors such that pixelation and stiction are reduced. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90)
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Specification